Election canvassers save man from burning garage in Allentown

Milagros Cintron expected to spend most of the day Tuesday urging Allentown residents to get out and vote. Just before noon, Cintron dropped her leaflets and sprung into action.

Cintron and two other Democratic Party canvassers were posting fliers on doors in south Allentown when they spotted a fire at a home on Brookdale Street, near Chapel Avenue, around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Cintron, a petite 21-year-old college student, ran to the home where she could see flames coming from the garage. In there, she saw a man underneath a car with flames traveling up his legs, from his feet to his waist, she said.

Cintron got the burning man, who she said appeared disoriented, out of the garage. Within seconds, she heard an explosion behind them.

"I grabbed a hose and put him out and asked him to stand by the side of the road," she said. "I then asked him if anyone else was in the house and he said his wife was in the house."

Cintron got the wife to safety. At the same time, Eli Rodriguez, another canvasser, was calling the fire department and blocking traffic away from the burning home until they arrived.

Fire Capt. John Christopher said it took fire crews about 20 minutes to extinguish the flames, but the home at 22 E. Brookdale St. may not be inhabitable because of heavy damage to the garage and the second-floor above the garage.

Christopher said the victim Stephen Pleuler suffered second-degree, and possibly third-degree burns, and was being treated at Lehigh Valley Hospital's Burn Unit.

He said the fire marshal has not identified the cause of the fire, but it will likely be accidental. Cintron said the Pleuler told her he was changing the gas tank in a car in his garage. Christopher wouldn't confirm that that caused the fire, but he did say there were several items in the garage.

Cintron, Rodriguez and John Vokes, the third canvasser in the group, left the scene shortly after Pleuler was taken away by ambulance. Another neighbor helped in the rescue, but she did not wish to comment.

Neighbors like Jen Smith reported hearing explosions. She said she first thought the explosions were gunshots, but then smelled smoke and looked two doors down and saw her neighbor's home on fire.

"I didn't know he was injured until I saw his shorts," she said. "You could see his legs were burnt pink."

Smith said she did not recognize the young woman who helped put out the flames with a garden hose.

"I did not recognize her as my neighbor," she said. For a while, fire officials could only identify her as a passerby, until she returned about two hours after the fire was first reported.

As fire crews and paramedics began leaving the home, Cintron and the other canvassers returned out of concern for the victim.

"He was in shock and his wife was crying hysterically," Cintron said. "I felt so bad."

They talked to Christopher who updated them on the man's condition. He also thanked them.

Asked how they knew what to do, Rodriguez joked, "we watched a lot of action movies."

The three canvassers only met Tuesday morning to work the elections. Vokes was especially impressed by Cintron's actions. He said her first name is fitting: Milagros means miracle in Spanish.

"If it wasn't for her, he'd be gone," Vokes said.

Cintron said she is thankful she was in the right place at the right time.

"I don't know how to feel," she said. "I keep thinking it's a very unfortunate situation with the holidays coming up. I keep wondering if they have anywhere to go. I'm just glad that they are both breathing and alive."